Census 2021

Census 2021

In 2021, Statistics Lithuania will be carrying out a population and housing census. The 2021 Census will be carried out using administrative data from the main State registers and information systems (Residents', Real Estate, Address registers, State Social Insurance Fund's (Sodra) database, etc.). In order to use State funding more efficiently, the employment of the usual mode – when individuals provide their data through census questionnaires – is discontinued.

Legal basis

National Legislation

Law on Statistics of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, 1993, No 54-1048; 1999, No 114-3299), Article 8(4) whereof stipulates that in carrying out statistical surveys Statistics Lithuania is authorised to organise and conduct general censuses and, if necessary, involve the population to this end according to procedures set by law or the Government. Based on the said legal provision, Resolution No 80 of 20 January 2010 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the Population and Housing Census 2011 of the Republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, 2010, No 11-535) has been adopted, regulating the execution of the Population and Housing Census 2011 of the Republic of Lithuania;

Order No DĮ-213 of 4 November 2010 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania on the amendment of „Order No DĮ-12 of 19 January 2009 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania on the approval of the Population and Housing Census 2011 action plan"

Other information

In Lithuania, the Population and Housing Census is carried out in March–May 2011. The census will specify the number of residents and reveal the extent of actual emigration of Lithuanian residents over the last ten years.

For the first time, residents were able to enumerate themselves electronically. Residents were provided with an opportunity to answer the questions given in the Census fact sheet whenever it is convenient for them. This way of enumeration is simpler since a share of information will have been obtained from administrative sources (Real Property Register, Address Register, database of State Social Insurance Fund Board, etc.).

The census fact sheets should be filled in for all household members. Throughout the course of the Electronic Census, it was be possible to update the data. Electronic Census was held 1–16 March.

The electronic census was followed by a survey on 5 April–9 May. Enumerators visited households and interviewed residents not enumerated electronically. Census workers were identifiable by special portfolios and certificates of employment.

Residents do not have to worry about the confidentiality of their data. The data collected are confidential and used solely for statistical purposes.

The post-cards have been prepared by the International Organization on Migration Vilnius bureau in cooperation with Statistics Lithuania. They are meant for delivery in airports, bus and train stations to inform the population about the Census. Census postcards (DPF):
- Lithuanian
- English
- Russian

Census 2001

Census 2001

After the restoration of independence of Lithuania, the need arose to find out a more precise number of its residents. For the purposes of economy development and demographic policy, there was a need to be aware of the number of residents, social and demographic composition, quality characteristics of the population (education, employment rate by activity, composition by profession). Another important reason was the necessity to specify the ethnic composition in order to prepare and implement ethnic minority policy.

Lithuanian population must have significantly decreased due to massive exodus of soldiers of the Soviet Army, military officers and their family members from Lithuania. This could only be recorded by conducting a census.

2001 Housing and Population Census was the first population census of Lithuania after the restoration of independence.

It was planned to enumerate all permanent residents of the state. The Census methodology was drawn up taking into consideration the recommendations prepared by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and Eurostat and approved at the Conference of European Statisticians. The Census questionnaire was prepared taking into account international experience and recommendations as well as national interests.

In the process of 2001 Census, not only persons living in residential dwellings but also those living in old peoples', nursing, children's homes, hostels, collective labour colonies, barracks, monasteries and convents and elsewhere, as well as homeless people were being enumerated. About 15 thousand workers participated in the Census.

The 2001 Housing and Population Census was carried out successfully. It fully complied with European standards. The results were comparable with those of other countries. Perhaps the most importantly, the exact number of residents was determined, exhaustive demographic and other characteristics were obtained. It was recorded that the level of education was high, the population was ethnically homogenous (83.5 per cent of residents were Lithuanians). The majority of the residents of Lithuania (2.8 million) were Roman Catholics, who accounted for 79 per cent of population.

Census questionnaire

Press releases

Main results

Information on this webpage is not translated into English.

Concepts and explanations

The moment of the census – at 24 hours on 5 April 2001.

The usual place of residence – the geographical area wherein a person under enumeration usually resides. It can be the same or another place where he/she actually was at the time of the census, or his/her legal place of residence.

The usually resident person – a person who usually resides in a dwelling, or a person who usually resides in a dwelling but is temporarily absent (for a period of up to one year) and expects to come back to that dwelling, or a person who has come to that dwelling for usual residence, although less than a year has passed since his/her arrival.

Age – the number of complete years before the moment of the census.

The person's place of birth – is the geographical area of the usual residence of his/her mother at the time of his/her birth. For a person born in Lithuania the status of the residential area is indicated as it was at the time of the person's birth, regardless of whether in course of years a rural area turned into an urban area, or vice versa. For a person born abroad the country according to the current borders is indicated.

It is considered that a person has lived in the same residential area for a year prior to the census, irrespective of whether he/she: moved within the boundaries of the same town or village, or moved from one village to another within the boundaries of the same local administrative unit, was on vacation, recreation, medical treatment, business trip, worked on the basis of a term contract, went abroad (not longer than one year), was a conscript.

Data on children under 15 years of age are provided by one of parents or foster-parents, or other adult member of the household. If there are doubts as to which nationality and mother tongue should be indicated, priority is given to mother's opinion.

Having command of a language means that a person is able to speak and/or write a language. If a person is able to convey information in an easily understandable manner, to present his/her thoughts consistently and fluently, understands everyday language, is able to answer elementary questions, to fill in a form, to write a short text, then it is considered that a person has command of a language.

The child – a person under 18 years of age.

The number of children born alive – all children (irrespective of age) born alive to women under enumeration until the moment of the census, regardless of whether all children are alive and where they live at moment of the census.

The employed person – a person of 15 years of age and over who during the week preceding the census did any kind of work for no less than an hour and for which he/she was paid wages and salaries in cash or in kind (food or other products), or had profit (income).

The inactive person – a person of 15 years of age and over who cannot be attributed to the employed or unemployed (pupil, student, pensioner, housewife/homemaker, etc.).

The type of economic activity – a type of manufacturing or any other activity in which an enterprise or similar economic unit, which is the workplace of the employed person, is engaged.

Disorder, in terms of health, is any restriction or inability (due to an impaired function) to perform actions which are ordinary for a healthy person.

Disability is defined as personal condition established by competent institutions, when a person, due to congenital or acquired physical or mental handicaps, is totally or partially unable to attend to his/her personal and social life, to effect his/her rights and perform duties.

The disabled person – a person for whom the 1st, 2nd or 3rd group of disability has been established, and a child under 16 years of age for whom disability since childhood has been established.

The private household – a group of persons who live in the same dwelling, share the same budget and have meals together, or one person living separately. The members of a household should not necessarily be in family or marital relationship.

The family household – a household comprising two or more persons who are in marital or family relationship. It can be spouses/cohabitants with or without a child(-ren) or one of parents with a child(-ren) living alone or together with other persons, etc.

The non-family household – a household comprising one person or a group of persons who are not in marital or family relationship.

The institution – a household consisting of persons whose shelter and living needs are satisfied by an institution.

The nuclear family – spouses/cohabitants without children, or spouses/cohabitants with one or more children, or one of parents with one or more children.

The building – a separate construction containing one or more dwellings, rooms or other premises meant for human habitation, commercial, cultural or other activities.
During the population and housing census only the buildings with residential dwellings are enumerated.

The residential building – a building whose total, major part or at least half of useful floor space is a dwelling(s).

The non-residential building – a building which is not a residential house but contains a dwelling.

The dwelling – an individual house, or apartment in a residential or non-residential building, or separate room(s) with premises of common use.

The conventional dwelling – an individual house, or part of an individual house, or apartment.

The unconventional dwelling – a dwelling which is partially long-term or not adapted for human habitation (e.g., wagon, yacht, etc.), but at the time of the census is used as the usual place of residence of one or several persons.

The collective living quarters – a separate and independent group of premises meant for habitation of larger groups of persons or individual households, which at the time of the census was used as the usual place of residence of at least one person (e.g., student's hostel, non-privatised apartment(s) in a hostel owned by an enterprise, hotel, rest house, camp, etc.).

The individual house – a detached house, farmstead or summerhouse adapted for habitation during the whole year.

Part of individual house – part of a semi-detached house.

The separate flat – a dwelling in a block of (three or more) flats or terraced house, or in a non-residential building, or in a hostel's privatised room(s).

The hostel – a dwelling in a student's hostel, or non-privatised apartment(s) in a hostel owned by an enterprise.

Other living quarters – a construction adapted for habitation during the whole year which at the time of the census was the usual place of residence of at least one person (wagon, yacht, summerhouse not adapted for habitation during the whole year).

The useful floor space of a dwelling – total floor space of living rooms, other premises (kitchens, sanitary facilities, corridors, built-in cabinets and other ancillary premises) and commercial areas in a dwelling. The useful floor space does not include the floor space of balconies, unheated attics, cellars, and garages.

The room – the space in a dwelling surrounded by walls of at least two metres long going upwards from the floor to the ceiling (roof) and big enough (at least four square metres) to hold an adult person's bed. Kitchens, corridors, verandas, porches, bathrooms or toilets (even larger than four square metres) are not considered rooms.